LG G3 Release Date & News, Pre-MWC Round-Up

With MWC 2014 taking place next month, it is that time of the year where many smartphone manufacturers prepare to launch new flagship devices, and while the Samsung Galaxy S5 is probably one of the more highly anticipated devices for 2014, the LG G3 could be thought of as a close second. After all with the LG G2’s powerful hardware and generally positive reviews from 2013, many are excited to see what LG can bring to the table in 2014. That being said, below is the roundup of rumors about the handset that we have come across so far.

LG G3 Display

Starting with the display, 2014 is the year where many smartphone manufacturers start to enter the 2K resolution market. Vivo and Oppo are two companies who have done just that and there are rumors that Samsung might do the same with the Galaxy S5. The good news is that based on the rumors, that’s exactly what LG could be doing with the LG G3 that could be launched with a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2,560×1,440. Also assuming that LG keeps to the same type of display that they used last year, the LG G3 will most likely use IPS display panels as well.

LG G3 Specs

With the LG G2, the South Korean tech company turned to Qualcomm and used the company’s Snapdragon 800 chipset which was clocked at 2.26GHz. We can only assume that with the LG G3, LG will either return to the Snapdragon but with a higher clock speed. However we have also heard the rumors that LG might be working on their own Odin octa-core processors. The rumors claim that LG’s Odin chipset would be used in the company’s products in 2014, and as we are in 2014 and with the LG G3 being the competitor of the Samsung Galaxy S5, we would expect nothing less from LG.

In theory it does sound like LG could set themselves apart from the competition by using their own chipsets, but as to how well it actually performs remains to be seen. Other possible specs include 3GB of RAM which appears to be the standard for smartphones released in 2014, and from what we know LG could be using a 16MP camera in the LG G3 as well. One of the features we loved about the LG G2 was its camera which proved to be pretty amazing when it came to low-light photography, something which we are hoping LG will bring over to the LG G3. Also with the LG G2 sporting optical image stabilization, chances are the LG G3 could feature that as well.

As for software, we expect LG to preinstall Android 4.4 KitKat which is the latest version of Android at the moment. Anything less and we expect many would-be customers to be disappointed, especially given that Android updates can take a while and are subject to carrier approval at times.

Pricing and Availability

We can’t say for sure how much the LG G3 will cost, but we can only assume it will be sold for roughly the same price as the LG G2. This will most likely differ from region to region, depending on who’s selling it and whether there will be any carrier subsidies offered, or if taxes in a certain region are higher, thus resulting in a more expensive device.

As far as availability is concerned, we have heard rumors that LG would be releasing the handset on the 17th of May 2014. Assuming this is true, LG’s release will most likely be behind the Galaxy S5’s release, which at the moment has been rumored for either mid-March or April. Considering that the Galaxy S5 will probably be LG’s biggest concern, an earlier release would be preferable.

Either way these are all rumors at this point in time, but as we will be live at MWC 2014, be sure to check back with us then for all the details.